Casing joint

Claim 2

A pressure vessel or the like comprising, in combination, two wall sections having juxtaposed edges and a coupling member positively joining the edges of the sections, each section having a first abutment on one surface adjacent to the edge and facing away from the other section and having a second abutment forming part of the other surface adjacent to the edge and facing toward the other section, the coupling member being a strip disposed between the edges of the wall sections and defining two rigid shoulders, one shoulder engaging each first abutment to hold the sections together, and defining two plastically deformable flanges, which are plastically deformed toward said other surface thereby, cooperating with the second abutments to bias the sections apart and with the said other surface to retain the shoulders in engagement with the first abutments; the said flanges being sufficiently deformable to allow clearance for entry of the abutments into engagement with the shoulders before deformation of the flanges and to be deformed toward the said other surface for retention of the coupling member.

Claim 3

A combination as recited in claim 1 in which the deformable flanges directly engage the second abutments.

Claim 4

A combination as recited in claim 1 including also filler strips disposed between the deformable flanges and the second abutments and loaded toward the second abutments by the deformable flanges.

Claim 5

A combination as recited in claim 1 in which the coupling member includes a portion defining a reaction surface for a tool adapted to engage and deform the deformable flanges.

Claim 6

A combination as recited in claim 1 in which the edges define a closed curve and the coupling member is a split ring.

Claim 7

A combination as recited in claim 5 in which the first abutments are on the outer surface of the sections.

Claim 8

A combination as recited in claim 5 in which the first abutments are on the outer surface of the sections.

Claim 9

A combination as recited in claim 7 including also a key deformable for retention disposed in the gap defined by the split in the ring to fill the gap.

Claim 10

A combination as recited in claim 1 in which the coupling member is formed of two metallic strips bonded together to form an integral strip, one strip being of a metal more ductile than the other.

Claim 11

A combination as recited in claim 1 in which the coupling member is formed of two metallic strips bonded together, one strip being of a metal more resistant to high temperature than the other.

Claim 12

A structure comprising, in combination, first and second plates having generally coplanar edges juxtaposed along a split line and coupling means at the split line positively connecting the plates so as to withstand forces tending to separate the plates and so as to preserve the alignment of the plates, each plate having a rigid flange extending from one of the surfaces of the plate defining an abutment adjacent to and facing away from the split line, the coupling means including a strip disposed between the edges of the plate and having two rigid mutually aligned flanges each defining a shoulder engaging one of the abutments on the plates so that the interengaging abutments and shoulders positively restrain the plates against separation, the coupling means also including securing means bearing against the surface of the plates opposite to the said flanges holding the shoulders in engagement with the abutments, the securing means including means integral with the strip sufficiently plastically deformable toward the plates to allow clearance for entry of the abutments into engagement with the shoulders before deformation and deformed plastically toward the plates thereby pressing the securing means against the plates.

Claim 13

A structure comprising, in combination, first and second plates having generally coplanar edges juxtaposed along a split line and coupling means at the split line positively connecting the plates so as to withstand forces tending to separate the plates and so as to preserve the alignment of the plates, each plate having a rigid flange extending from one of the surfaces of the plate defining an abutment adjacent to and facing away from the split line, the coupling means including a strip disposed between the edges of the plate and having two rigid mutually aligned flanges each defining a shoulder engaging one of the abutments on the plates so that the interengaging abutments and shoulders positively restrain the plates against separation, the coupling means also including securing means bearing against the surface of the plates opposite to the said flanges holding the shoulders in engagement with the abutments, the securing means including means integral with the strip sufficiently plastically deformable toward the plates to allow clearance for entry of the abutments into engagement with the shoulders before deformation and deformed plastically toward the plates thereby pressing the securing means against the plates.

Claim 14

A combination as recited in claim 11 in which the edges define a closed curve and the strip is in the form of a split ring.

Claim 15

A combination as reciteD in claim 12 in which the ring is segmented.

Claim 16

A combination as recited in claim 12 in which the abutments are on the inner surface of the plates.

Claim 17

A combination as recited in claim 11 in which the plastically deformable means loads the plates in a sense to separate the edges.

Claim 18

A combination as recited in claim 15 including also filler strips disposed between the deformable means and the plates.

Claim 19

A combination as recited in claim 11 in which the plastically deformable means is defined by flanges extending from the strip.

Claim 20

A combination as recited in claim 17 in which the coupling means defines flanges extending from the strip over the deformable means to provide a reaction surface for a tool adapted to deform the deformable means.

Claim 21

A combination as recited in claim 11 in which one surface of the structure is exposed to hot fluid, the portion of the strip defining the shoulders being toward the surface of the structure exposed to the hot fluid and the securing means being on the other surface, the flanges defining the shoulders being of a material more highly resistant to temperature than the plastically deformable means.

Claim 22

A combination as recited in claim 19 including also a heat shield engaging the surface of the casing and shielding the flanges defining the shoulders from the hot fluid.

Claim 23

A combination as recited in claim 20 in which the heat shield is an integral part of the strip.

Claim 24

A wall comprising, in combination, two wall sections having edges juxtaposed; and a coupling member rigidly connecting the sections, the coupling member being a unitary structure including a web, rigid first flanges extending laterally from both faces of the web and including shoulders interlocking with the wall sections, the wall sections having abutments on one surface interlocking with the shoulders, second flanges extending laterally from both faces of the web in position to overlie the other surface of the wall sections, the second flanges being of a material plastically deformable toward the casing sections to hold the coupling member interlocked with the wall sections, and third flanges extending laterally from both faces of the web more remote from the wall than the second flanges, the third flanges providing a reaction surface for a tool to deform the second flanges toward the casing.

Claim 25

A wall comprising, in combination, two wall sections having edges juxtaposed; and a coupling member rigidly connecting the sections, the coupling member being a unitary structure including a web, rigid first flanges extending laterally from both faces of the web and including shoulders interlocking with the wall sections, the wall sections having abutments on one surface interlocking with the shoulders, second flanges extending laterally from both faces of the web in position to overlie the other surface of the wall sections, the second flanges being of a material plastically deformable toward the casing sections to hold the coupling member interlocked with the wall sections, and third flanges extending laterally from both faces of the web more remote from the wall than the second flanges, the third flanges providing a reaction surface for a tool to deform the second flanges toward the casing.

Claim 26

A combination as recited in claim 22 in which the edges define a closed curve and the coupling member is a split ring.

Claim 27

A combination as recited in claim 22 in which the said abutments are disposed in a recess below the corresponding surface of the wall, and in which the coupling member includes fourth flanges extending from the web into contact with the wall to shield the first flanges from direct impingement by fluid contained by the wall.

Claim 28

A combination as recited in claim 24 in which the coupling member is a composite of two sections bonded together, a first section defining the first and fourth flanges and a portion of the web, and a second section defining the remainder of the coupling member.

Claim 29

A combination as recited in claim 25 in which the first section is selected for resistance to high temperature and the second is selected for ductility.

Claim 30

A combination as recited in claim 26 in which the edges define a closed curve and the coupling member is a split ring.

Claim 31

A combination as recited in claim 22 including also filler strips disposed between the deformable flanges and the wall sections and loaded against the surface of the wall sections by the deformable flanges.

Claim 32

A combination as recited in claim 1 including also an anti-slip connection between the wall sections defined by teeth extending from the wall sections and by the deformable flanges, the deformable flanges being engaged with the said teeth.